Dove's Memories
by Raven's secret-keeper
Summary: What happened in Dove's life before she became a Teen Titan? This is a series that shows many things that happened in her previous life. The first is just an idea I decided to get rid of but the others aren't. REVIEW
1. Memory 1: First Lesson

_This series is basically made of memories that reveal the little details of Dove's life before she became a Titan._

_Read and review,_

_**Raven's secret-keeper**_

**_- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - _**

_**A Life of More than Hiding**_

_(Dove was 3...)_

Alerina (1) suddenly stopped her affectionate play with Dove and picked her up before rushing Dove into her sleeping room and into the hidden compartment in the floor. Dove could tell her mother was upset.

"Mommy, what-?" But Alerina shut the trapdoor. Dove heard two steps of footsteps above her... the door opening... an unfamiliar voice.

"Alerina, I know."

Dove's mother gasped. "No... No, you can't- Azar, she mustn't have the same fate as Raven! (2)No, I won't let you-"

"Alerina, calm yourself. I have not come to take her, but merely inform you that her emotions must be tempered."

"Azar-"

"Alerina, the child is three and her powers are growing. Surely you have noticed."

"Yes, but how am I to- I have never seen even a glimpse of how you are training Raven and holding down her emotions..." Her voice grew softer.

"Have no fear, for I will show you how to train her."

"Train-? But I thought... Raven was only-"

"And Dove and Raven are sisters. By only half blood, but sisters nonetheless. And you know this. Trigon has sired both of them, and both children have his influence in their blood, and it must be controlled. Do not fret, for Dove needs not nearly as strict training as Raven is receiving."

"What...? How is it that Raven-? Why-? Azar, this is all so confusing..."

"It will be made clear soon. Now, please bring Dove here so that both of you may understand."

"How did you-?"

"Alerina, I have known for some time now."

Dove sensed extreme anxiety.

"Be not afraid. I will not reveal her existence to the rest of Azarath. Now..."

Dove heard shaky footsteps on the floor, and she cowered into one of the corners in the small area.

"Dove..." Alerina picked her up. Dove whimpered. She had never been brought out before the visitor left.

"Shhhh, Dove, it's okay..."

"Mommy, why is Azar here?"

"I'm not sure yet, but we have to talk to her."

Dove began shaking.

"Come on, Dove... Calm down..."

"Mommy, I'm scared!" Dove grabbed her mother's shoulders and buried her head in her chest.

"Ok, ok... I'm scared too..."

"Be not afraid, Dove."

Dove, on the verge of tears, sniffed and turned around and looked at the one she guessed was Azar.

The stranger smiled at her.

Dove gasped quietly at the power she sensed when she looked into her gray-blue eyes.

"Neither of you are in any danger," she said. "And your secret will remain mine."

"And what of the council?" Alerina asked anxiously as she sat down and put Dove in her lap.

"They will not know. They do not need to. No word will reach even Arella's ears."

"Does not she live in the temple?"

Azar nodded. "And she shall not know."

"Why are you here?" Dove asked, not as a threat, but out of confusion and frustration.

"Because you need control."

Dove turned and cowered into Alerina's body, still shaking.

"What must we do?" Alerina asked softly as she began to gently stroke the child's hair.

"She must be taught to control her emotions. As I have said, the restraint needs not be as intense as Raven's, but it must be firm." Azar leveled with Alerina on the floor. "If she is not taught emotional restraint, her powers could become destructive."

Dove gasped, but it was muffled by Alerina's white-clad body.

"Any one might be hurt."

Alerina felt a tear through her clothing. Dove began to sob quietly, then she suddenly began to crackle with bolts of white energy. Alerina gasped softly. It had happened before, and only when Dove became extremely emotional.

"It is a result of her unharnessed emotions and her lack of experience of her powers. It will cease once she is calm."

Alerina got up and began pacing with Dove in her arms. "Dove, you have to calm down," she said softly and gently. "Your emotions are dangerous. Try to calm down. Azar's not going to hurt us or tell anyone about you... We'll both be fine." She used the hand supporting Dove's side to gently push Dove's chin up and make eye-contact. "We'll be fine. You don't want to lose control of your powers... Do you?" Dove sniffed. "If you do, you could hurt me, or yourself. Do you want to?" Dove shook her head. 'Don't worry, you'll be fine."

"What about you?" the child asked nervously.

"Me too."

Dove blinked. Alerina tenderly wiped a tear from Dove's cheek and put her hand back around Dove's side.

"There's nothing to be afraid of."

The white bolts of energy faded from Dove as she put her head on Alerina's shoulder. "I'm cold."

Azar smiled tenderly and stood up. "It happened because of your powers." She crossed the room and looked at Dove. "Once you have more control and experience, you won't feel it."

"Why does it make the room cold?" Alerina asked.

Azar looked thoughtful, then her eyes refocused. "In time, Alerina. In time, all of your questions will be answered, and you will know how to temper her emotions without unnecessary control. And... you will know how to protect her."

"_Protect_ her?!"

"I suppose it is time for the first lesson."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - **- _Notes_ -** - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

(1) _pronounced uh-**lair-**in-uh. Dove's Azarathean mother._

_(2) referring to the fact that Raven was taken away from her mother to be trained by Azar_

_For this particular "memory," I decided that it shouldn't be true... Still, it's fun to read, and I __hope you enjoyed it. Basically, it's not really part of Dove's pre-Titan life. It's just something I came up with a considered, but rejected. Secret-keeping isn't in the peaceful Azarathean nature. The others are definate, though._

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -**_-Please review-_**- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -** _-Raven's secret-keeper- _**- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


	2. Memory 2: A New Friend

_Read and review,_

_**Raven's secret-keeper**_

_**- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - **_

_**Memory 2**_

Dove was 8. Alerina dropped Dove onto the bed and hurried out without fully shutting the door. The visitor had come in and almost had the opportunity to see Dove, but Alerina managed to get Dove into the room right before the entrance door was opened.

Suddenly a dove swiftly flew into the room and nearly skimmed Dove's face as it passed and flew straight into the wall behind the bed. Dove gasped as it fell to the bed, a couple of feathers drifting behind it.

Dove crawled to the still bird and picked it up. It lifted its head and looked into Dove's eyes. Dove gasped as she sensed its pain, and it pulled one of its wings in, the other hanging limply over the edge of Dove's small hands. Dove could sense it was just a month old and a female, along with dazed and confused. Then the bird regained her senses and slowly flipped over and pulled her feet under her body and stood up. It jumped off of Dove's hand and tried to flutter away, but only fell to the bed.

"Your wing is broken," Dove whispered to the bird, using her ability to communicate with animals for the first time out of her mother's lessons.

Dove picked up the dove again, this time the proper way, with the bird's feet at the bottom of Dove's cupped hands and the child's thumbs gently wrapped around her wings. Her wings were shaking and Dove noticed that her tail was fanned, both signs of fear. Dove held the dove closer to her body and whispered, "I'll have to take care of you," as she stroked the bird's breast feathers with her finger. She knew that nothing could really hurt the dove in Azarath if she couldn't get high, but she wasn't sure that the dove wouldn't hurt itself. The dove began swiftly shaking her head left and right and Dove stroked the feathers on her back. "Shhh… You're fine… I won't hurt you." Dove continued to verbally comfort the frightened dove until she calmed down, then she put the bird on the bed. "Don't leave the bed. You'll fall." The dove looked back at Dove, and Dove began to feel a bond with the bird as the black and amber-gold eyes gazed into her violet eyes.

Dove watched the bird walk around the bed and look at her new surroundings for nearly an hour before Alerina came in and told Dove, "I'm sorry that took so long… Where did the dove come from?"

"She flew in. Her wing is broken."

"Oh. Has she been with you the whole time?"

"Yes."

"Is she okay?"

"I think."

"Do you… Want to keep her?"

"I think she likes me."

Alerina looked a bit upset. "Azar tells Raven to not get attached to anything…"

"But she's hurt. She might not be safe if we don't help her." Dove's eyes were pleading.

Alerina sighed. "She can stay… If you promise to not let her out… Some of the people may have some of the powers you do…"

Dove smiled. "I promise."

Alerina sat on the bed and hugged Dove. "Just be careful, okay? I don't know how much affection you can feel without endangering your father's influence being released…"

Dove blinked and shuddered. There had been a few times when she would forget to watch her emotions, and she would lose control of her powers.

"Will I be able to keep her?" Dove looked up at her mother.

Alerina bit her lip. "I…" She looked into Dove's eyes and clucked her tongue before smiling. "Yes we can. We have to get her some food…What will you call her?"

"Ummm…" Dove watched the dove as she walked to the edge of the bed, stopped, and turned to look at her. "Sieara."

Dove smiled as the dove cocked her head. "That's your name now."

"Dove, are you using your telepathy?"

Dove looked back to Alerina. "Yes."

"That's great, Dove!" Dove had been having a lot of trouble with her powers since Azar had ceased living. Alerina smiled and stroked the dove's back. "Sieara it is."

_Ands so Dove begins her life-long relationship with Sieara._

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - **- _Notes_ -** - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

_I used my own pet dove as a model for Sieara, and except for the broken wing, this is pretty much how Fizzy acted when I first got him._

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Review please - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

_**-Raven's secret-keeper**_


	3. Memory 3: First Meeting

_Read and review,_

_**Raven's secret-keeper**_

_**- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - **_

_**Memory 3 (slight continuation of 2)**_

Dove had had Sieara for a week. Her wing was healing nicely, but the dove was still unable to fly. They were starting to bond, but the bird was still a little stand-offish.

On the seventh day, Alerina told Dove to go into the room, her tone hurried and urgent. The high magistrate was coming, and Coman was the last person Alerina wanted to find out about Dove.

Dove called Sieara, but the bird wouldn't come into the room. Dove had to run out, grab Sieara off the floor, and run back into the room. She stopped behind the door. "Sieara-" Dove snapped her mouth shut. She sensed the presence of two more people in the home. The dove in her hands cocked her head and began to shake her head left and right to be let go.

_Hold on…_ Dove told the bird with her telepathy. She waited for Alerina to lead the visitors into the main room. Her heart stopped when she heard a boy's voice saying, "I thought I saw something, that's all." But she heard the footsteps going away from the door and let herself breath again.

She walked across the room and put the dove on the bed before sitting down herself and sighing.

_We were nearly caught! What were you doing?_

Dove felt herself almost release a bolt of energy from her anxiety, then she closed her eyes and took a few breaths.

_Calm down… If I lose control, I might be discovered… Azarath Metrion Zinthos…_

Dove crossed her legs and put her hands in the proper position before she began mouthing her mantra. She wasn't sure if simply mouthing the words would have the same effect as chanting, but she knew she had to calm down a bit.

Dove was ripped out of her calm, centered state by Alerina saying, "Yes, there's a dove here. She has a broken wing, so I thought I'd keep her until she healed."

Dove muffled her gasp just in time with her hand, and ran to the compartment in the floor, leaving the bird on the bed. It was a lot smaller for her than it used to be, but she still fit comfortably and closed the door not a second before she heard three sets of footsteps above her.

Dove heard a chuckle. "He loves the doves with all of his heart."

Dove guessed it was Coman.

"He's your grandson, right?"

Dove's heart was pounding. She could sense that Sieara was confused, wondering where she had gone.

"Yes. He looks most like his father."

"He has your eyes. Shape, not color."

"Yes, I agree."

"She's hurt." It was the same boy's voice Dove had heard before.

"He took one look and he knew," Alerina said. "Is he an empath, or-"

"He's being trained in the subject of Azar's magic. He may have sensed it."

"Azar's magic?" Dove could sense that her mother was amazed.

"Yes. He is gifted with the abilities to use it quite effectively."

Dove suddenly began to feel worried. Her mother had told her that Azar's magic was strong enough to do almost anything. What if he sensed her presence...?

"She's happy here. She likes it," he observed.

"Good to know." Alerina seemed fascinated.

"Is her name Sieara?"

"Yes, it is. How'd you-?"

"Mind reading."

"He _is_ talented!"

"May we continue?" Coman asked.

"Yes. I forgot… My apologies."

"May I stay in here with the bird?"

"Uh…" Alerina wasn't sure how to react.

"It is not causing harm. Yes. I'll come and tell you when we are leaving."

Dove heard the two adults leaving and could sense that her dove wasn't worried.

"It's okay," Dove heard him say. "You're not in danger."

Dove held her breath, realizing that without the sounds of the others' voices, every noise might be heard.

"You can come out."

Dove's eyes grew wide and her heart skipped a beat. He was talking to _her_!

"I won't tell."

Dove could sense no treachery and only curiosity, so she slowly pushed open the door and came out.

The boy had wild blue hair and he had an alert expression that made Dove nervous. His blue eyes seemed to stare straight through hers and made Dove wonder if he could see her soul.

"I'm Srentha. And… You're Dove."

She nodded and began shaking.

"Don't worry, I told you what I meant. I won't tell." He smiled warmly at her.

"Um…"

"I could sense you."

Dove's expression was one of many unreadable thoughts.

"How?"

"Well… There aren't many people like me… I think you would've heard our guardians…"

"About what…?

"Azar's magic. I can use it without difficulty once I know the spell good enough. How old are you?"

"Eight." Sieara cocked her head.

"Me too. She's got a bit more to go with her healing…"

"Yeah… I hope she's okay."

"She will be once she heals. Why were you hiding?"

"Nobody should know I exist."

"Why not?"

"It's… Complicated."

"Oh. You don't wanna tell?"

"No. Please don't read my mind!"

He laughed softly. "I only use Azar's magic when necessary. If I use it more than that…"

"You saw me before."

"So I did."

"Did your grandfather?"

"No. He was busy talking to your mother. You look a little like Raven…"

He inspected her closely. Dove grabbed her robe and held the fabric tightly.

"What's wrong?"

"I just… I'm… I don't want to…"

"You look scared. Are you okay?"

"Well…"

"Hey… They might not come back for a while, and we have nothing better to do. Wanna play until they come back?"

"I...I don't play… No one's ever played with me besides my mother…"

"Want that to be different?"

His friendly smile made Dove relax and she nodded with a smile.

They did more talking than actual playing for a long time before Dove said, "They're almost done."

"I don't want to leave yet…"

"I want you to stay. But we can't tell your grandfather, or…"

"How did you know-?"

Dove blushed. "I'm not supposed to be this happy… Because I could read their minds, and I sorta lost control of my powers."

"Want to play again sometime?"

Dove nodded. "How?"

"My mother told me of a place that no one ever goes. Wanna meet sometime?"

Dove nodded.

"When?"

"I don't know… We should hurry."

"Can I talk to you again soon?"

"I…" Dove thought about it for a moment. "My mother said that her mother told her that some people use the doves to write letters to far-away people. Maybe I could use Sieara."

Srentha nodded. "Good idea. And my mother will ask why she's in my room… I'll say your mother lets her visit me."

"Okay. I've gotta go back now… I hope I can see you again someday. I'll miss you. Friends?"

He nodded and Dove ran back into her hiding spot, glad to have made her first real friend.

_And so Dove met Srentha, who turns out to be her best friend until Raven enters her life._

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - **- _Notes_ -** - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

_When I wrote this, it reminded me of one of my friends. But my friend came along when I was 6, and I didn't have Fizzy (my dove) then._

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Review please - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

_**-Raven's secret-keeper**_


	4. Memory 4: Nighttime Visit

_For this one, I sort of played around with the DC version of Azarath. Have fun!_

_Read and review,_

_**Raven's secret-keeper**_

_**- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - **_

_**Memory 4**_

Dove clutched Sieara closer as she looked cautiously around the building. Seeing no one, she silently crossed the street and headed down the path until she came to the temple. She glanced back, a bit uneasy about all this… She had never been sneaking around Azarath, even before… All the streets looked so new to her, completely innovative… She had never seen any more of the outside world than what she saw through her mother's mind. It was completely unnerving. She knew she wasn't supposed to do this, and what if someone caught her…?

She pushed that thought from her mind and pressed on, keeping her thoughts focused on the idea of seeing Srentha again – the only person she ever had contact with besides her mother. He had kept her a secret so far, and an opportunity like this might never show again, especially in Azarath where secret-keeping was against their nature...

She couldn't help noticing how pretty it was… The golden buildings were glistening even in the night world she was wandering. It was so different from the way she had seen from Alerina's memories. The sky was a deep and infinite green-blue, so dark it was almost black, and the stars twinkled in and out of different colors. The air was filled with the scent of gossamer, and she couldn't help being amazed at the beauty around her.

She saw the tower Srentha had described in his letter – which, amazingly, both children had been able to keep the secret of – and counted the buildings after it – one, two three four -

She stopped and pulled the paper from the folds of her cloak. She scanned it for what she needed, then looked left and saw the alley he had described before following its lengths.

She walked for quite a while before the alley forked – again, another left – and she followed another span of street. She looked at the buildings, fascinated by their sheer brilliance and beauty.

After awhile, she began wondering if it ever came to an end, like he told her it did. It was so long, so very long…

Sieara struggled in her hands.

"Sh," she whispered, being extremely careful to not let her voice be heard. The dove looked up at her and blinked.

"It's going to be fine," she whispered.

The dove nestled farther into her hands. Inexperienced as she was, she could faintly sense the dove's fear and confusion, something like it… She couldn't help feeling sorry for her. She knew the dove may try to fly away, but she convinced herself that it was a bit late for the bird to _want_ to escape. So she unfolded her hands and shifted her fingers so that Sieara sleepily stepped onto her first finger, and she held it out. "There…" She looked affectionately at her white, feathered… She couldn't help wondering what Sieara was to her. Pet or friend…? She decided on a word her mother used once when she was reading her a bedtime story a year or two ago: Companion.

Then at last the alley came to an end. She sat down and caught her breath, finally able to relax and know that nobody was following. She strained her ears, and felt Sieara shift into a more comfortable position to sleep in. Dove couldn't help feeling sorry for her once more – she hadn't been able to sleep all night since Dove had stayed awake, shifting on the floor of the room as she waited for the time to pass on and for the right time to leave. After that she had been pulled from her perch on the lantern and taken around these unfamiliar streets with Dove and was trapped between her hands.

Dove heard a noise and jumped with a small gasp.

Then she let herself relax. A smile crossed her face as she heard the soft footsteps and saw shadow, smooth and flowing except for the top – the messy hair of Srentha.

He slipped around the building and looked her way. He smiled.

"It worked!"

Sieara's eyes flew open and she looked up at him. He looked back gently.

"She wants to sleep."

Dove nodded. "I had to wake her up."

"Shhh… We should be a bit quieter… You never know when someone will be around looking for Coman or Arella…" His voice softened to a whisper.

"Oh, okay." Sieara fluttered onto Dove's knee.

Srentha watched her. Then said, "Hey, I can show you something."

"Really? What?"

"I can make her smarter. Only a bit, but still…"

Dove nodded.

"Is it okay if I do?"

Dove shrugged. "Will it hurt her?"

Srentha shook his head. "I promise."

Dove picked up Sieara. "She's been this way since I found her… Will she change?"

"She won't be as confused about people… All I'll do is let her be more intelligent. Look, see?" He mumbled a few Azarathean words, then his hands began to glow bright blue and he put them, relaxed, over the dove. He closed his eyes lightly with a look of thoughtless concentration and chanted a few more words before the glow began to outline Sieara. Dove watched with fascination as he performed the magic. She could feel the dove in her hands seeming to radiate the warmth of magic onto her palms and fingers.

After a few whispered words and a couple of silent moments, Srentha opened his eyes and let his hands down. Sieara looked up at him – and both could have sworn to see a look of confusion in her eyes. "She probably thinks more like a person, but she still definitely has the mind of a dove," Srentha mused.

Dove got up. "I should go… I know that few people come this way, but... My mother is so protective… She'll be very afraid if she finds me gone… And what if one of the few…"

Srentha nodded. "Then I'll go too. See you... When?"

Dove shrugged. "Um... Three passings…?"

Srentha nodded. "I will see you then. Come back here. It's the safest place in this entire dimension for secrets... Unless you're in the temple… With all the secrets in there…"

Dove nodded and yawned softly. "Okay... Hey… Thanks for… you know… not telling anyone and being…"

"It's fine… Why would I want to tell anyone?"

"I'm just… not supposed to exist…"

"What are you…?"

"I'd rather not – Sorry, I shouldn't…"

"If you don't want to, then don't."

Dove glanced at his face and smiled. "Thanks. Again."

"You're welcome."

"Bye…"

"Bye."

Dove nodded at him gratefully, then looked around the building before heading home.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Review please - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

_**-Raven's secret-keeper**_


End file.
